Something Wicked
by Dr. Blind
Summary: Alec is living in New York City on his own. The only person he really knows is his roommate, who seems to be holding a big secret from him...
1. The Roommate

**Something Wicked**

_A Mortal Instruments Fanfiction_

_by Dr. Blind_

o-O-o_  
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**The Roommate**

"How do you know if you have bedbugs?" Alec says by way of greeting.

Thousands of miles away, in Idris, Ontario, Jace says, "You don't have bedbugs."

"But - "

"Alec," is all he says. Alec bites his lip and lets out a breath.

"I don't have bedbugs."

He hears Jace chuckle and open a drawer. He's probably in the kitchen - Alec's family's kitchen. In their nice, big house with their shiny floors and big, comfy leather couch... "What have I said about calling me?"

"Once an hour, minimum."

"And how many times have you called?"

Alec swallows guiltily and stares out the window, peering down at the sidewalk below him. New York City is so crowded. He thought he would enjoy it, but now... "Only twice."

"Yeah, but what time is it?"

He glances at the red letters of his alarm clock. "3:12."

"That's _twice_ in twelve minutes. Alec?"

"Uh huh?"

"Stop calling."

And then the phone clicks on the other end and the dial tone starts beeping in his ear. Alec is angry for a moment, but then he considers how many times he's called Jace in the past two days. He's dreamed of this for months, living on his own in the Big Apple, but now that it's actually happening he can't help but see how naive he's been. He thought it would be all books and parties, but just like back home he doesn't have a single friend outside his family.

Alec sits on his bed. The room in his shared apartment is smaller than he's used to, but he's always been good at making places feel like home to himself. Already his stuff is unpacked the way he wants it, all of his books arranged on his tottering little shelf. His Dad and adopted brother, Jace, had helped him move in only two days earlier, before driving back to Ontario. Jace had been endlessly amused by the amount of gay men living in Alec's neighbourhood, and spent his time in New York acting like everyone's favourite animal at the zoo.

Alec's dad had been a little less entertained, but he had to admit that Alec's apartment is nice for the rent. Even though some of the decor in the living room is a little too sparkly for Alec's taste, he likes the place overall. It's the fact that he's completely alone that's putting him off. He hasn't even met his roommate, though there are a few telltale signs that he is, in fact, around. Like the cereal bowls stacking up in the sink. Alec continues to sit on his bed and stare out the small window looking over his slice of the village. After a little while, he remembers the bedbugs, and how he was terrified of them. Alec can't handle his room anymore. He decides to take a shower. Grabs one of the towels his mom bought him and throws off his shirt. For some reason he thinks he's home alone.

He isn't.

There's someone sitting in one of the wicker chairs in the living room, looking very hungover, a book in one hand. Alec freezes when he sees him and flushes hot. The guy lounging in the chair isn't what he expected. He thought his roommate would be... shorter. And less... Uh...

"Wow," says his roommate. "Is this a dream, or my birthday?"

Alec looks down and sees that he's half naked, his too big jeans sliding down on his hips. He makes a sharp squeaking noise and covers himself up with his towel. "Sorry!"

His roommate snorts, closing his book. He uncrosses his legs. His jeans are really, really tight. "I'm Magnus. You're Alec, then?"

"Yeah, I'm Alec." He swallows, nervous again. "I didn't know you were home, or I would have... worn a shirt."

"What a shame that would have been," Magnus says with a smile that tells Alec he's just teasing. He outstretches his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Alec crosses the tiny living room and takes it. His handshake his firm, his palm warm. There are so many rings on his hands that it's a bit like his fingers are made of metal. Alec licks his bottom lip. "Nice to meet you, too." It's those eyes that have him. They're green, speckled with blue. Alec has never met anyone as appealing to the eyes in his life. "You're pretty quiet, eh?"

"I didn't know Canadian's actually said that."

"Said what?"

"Eh." He makes air quotes with his fingers and Alec tries to pinpoint when it was he said, "Eh." He can't, so he shrugs. "It doesn't matter. I think it's... quaint."

Alec doesn't know why, but that feels like an insult. He doesn't say anything, though. He just smiles and tries not to be awkward. They have to live together - he has to like Magnus, and Magnus has to like him. "Have you been here since I moved in?" Alec goes on. "I saw plates and stuff moving around, but I never even heard you."

"Yeah, it's been a mad weekend. You know, end of the summer and all that." Magnus rubs his eyes, as if to stipulate the madness of the weekend. "I only really came home to change my clothes. I'm usually here, though." Magnus waves to the room around them with a slight frown. "I don't get out much when school's in."

Alec knows that there's a conversation there. He knows there's a charming, gentle way to insinuate that he spends a lot of time at home. The words fail him, though, and he says, "I don't get out much when school's _not_ in." And then he stops, because he honestly cannot fathom how fucking stupid he just sounded. "What I mean is... Like, well... Uh..." He doesn't get why words are failing him. Alec doesn't talk a lot, but when he does talk he says what he means. Is it because he wants to impress Magnus? Most likely. "Yeah..." he finishes as smoothly as possible.

Magnus watches him like he's having a fit and then breaks out into one of those contagious, warm laughs that makes Alec feel worse and better at the same time. "Are you okay?" Magnus asks.

Alec sits down on the couch, defeated. He realizes he's been holding the towel around his torso like a woman and drops it. Magnus drops his eyes down over his torso, but Alec wills himself not to care. "Sort of not okay, actually," he admits. He doesn't know why, but he feels like he can trust Magnus not to trivialize his problems, or hold them against him. "It's just... This is all a lot to take in. The tallest building in my old town was seven stories, and it was the hospital, you know?" Magnus's dark, clever eyebrows tilt downwards in the center, concerned. "I used to dream of leaving that... that homophobic little ditch, and now that I have... I'm sort of homesick."

He feels instant regret for saying anything to begin with. What a baby he must sound like!

Magnus is quiet for a moment, but before Alec can get up and leave he says, "I think I can fix that."

"Fix what?"

"Your homesickness. I'll show you exactly why you came to New York City."

Alec can't control it. His mind automatically thinks of sex. It's hard not to think about it with Magnus around. He is _very_ attractive. "How?"

A wicked grin splits Magnus' lips. "You're coming out with me tonight."


	2. The Club

**The Club**

Alec does what Magnus says.

He takes his shower and then puts on his good clothes. The gray button-down is a swishy material and with his black jeans he thinks he looks nice. Alec doesn't like that they fit, though. He prefers to drown in fabric. Magnus tells him that he has to be ready by five. He's sitting in the living room at quarter to four, flipping through one of his new history textbooks, waiting. Alec is very patient.

It's sunny and hot when they leave, and Alec can't help but feel exhilarated. He looks at Magnus, with his tight clothes and kohl-rimmed eyes, and for a moment considers how cool he looks. Like he has hot friends. Maybe even like he has a hot boyfriend. That seems to be a bit of a stretch, though. Alec tells himself to pull in on the reigns before he says something spectacularly stupid.

They go to dinner at a restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses have definitely had a rainbow painted on them at one time or another. Magnus never stops asking questions. "Is Canada boring?" "How was the trip down?" "Do you like the city?" "What are you studying?" "Why NYU?"

Alec never has a chance to ask Magnus about himself, which only makes him more mysterious. It isn't until halfway through their meal (Alec has nachos that make him want to cry) that he notices people are staring over at their table. Finally he asks, "What's with everyone?" He gestures around the restaurant with a flick of his wrist.

Magnus swallows, looking nervous for the barest second. "I'm... sort of well known around here."

"Oh yeah? What for?"

Magnus shrugs, takes a long sip of his drink, and by the time he's done he has found another question for Alec. "Do you remember what professors you have?"

By the time they leave it's dark out and people are moving in droves towards the clubs. Magnus seems to know everyone, but ignores all of them. He points places and people out to Alec, telling him what stores are good and what ones are crap. There's a cupcake shop on the corner that Magnus says is heavenly. Alec doesn't really like cupcakes, but he smiles and nods. Says he'll be sure to check it out.

At the club, the bouncer raises his eyebrows at Alec's ID. "Eighteen?"

Apparently you need to be 21 to get in. Stupid American's, he thinks, before remembering he couldn't get into clubs in Canada either. Alec feels embarrassed that he's waited in line for a half an hour just to get booted at the door. He turns to leave. Magnus stops him.

"He's with me," is all he says.

The bouncer smiles with a lot of teeth at Magnus. "Mr. Bane," he chuckles. "Are we going to make it past midnight tonight?"

Magnus scratches the side of his face with his middle finger, but they both walk in free of charge anyways. Alec has never been to a club before. His first impression is that he doesn't like it. It seems to him like a big room full of confused people, rushing around with no real destination. Magnus takes him over to the bar first, gets them drinks, and then starts naming names and pointing people out. "That Calvin Olrick - he's a freak, avoid him. That little dude over there doesn't have a name. He likes everyone to call him Phouka. I heard he's one of those furries, you know? Those guys that dress up like animals when they get their freak on. Watch out, though. He's an ass-grabber. The pissy looking guy over there? That's Gabriel Steelstrong - diaper fetish, loves people to have people pretend he's a baby."

"Wait, you've slept with all these people?"

Magnus looks like he's been slapped. "Uh, no."

"Then how do you know all this?" Alec asks.

Magnus shrugs. "People talk. I listen." He takes a long pull from his drink and turns back towards the crowd, light from the dance floor falling over his face. Second drink he's had in the bar, Alec notices. Plus another two at the restaurant. "You ever been to a club before?"

Alec shakes his head. It's hard to hear with the music, so they have to lean real close to each other. He feels Magnus's breath on his neck every time he says something. The smell of alcohol tickles his nose. "Nope. What are you drinking?"

Magnus grins. "It's called an Adios Motherfucker. Want some?"

Alec takes thinks Magnus will hand the glass to him. He offers it, but doesn't let go. Alec wraps his pale fingers over Magnus's long, thin honey coloured ones and lifts the glass to his lips. They lock eyes. Alec shivers. Magnus has such beautiful skin - it's almost like it shines. It definitely sparkles. Alec doesn't want to move his hand from Magnus's, so he drinks more than he really wants to.

The Adios Motherfucker hits the back of Alec's throat and he almost chokes. Goddamn it's strong. Delicious, but strong.

He recoils and coughs a bit. "Holy shit," he gasps. "I think I'll stick to this." He holds up his Appletini.

Magnus rolls his eyes and laughs. "You're gay, right?"

"Yeah," Alec says, but his heart is beating a little fast. It's stupid, considering where he is, but usually admission of his homosexuality is accompanied with some form of pain. "Why?"

Magnus points a ring encased finger vaguely to the left. "Bathroom is over there, if you ever want to pick someone up easy."

"Uh-huh," Alec says. He feels a little dizzy thinking of picking someone to sleep with, as if he were choosing candy at the corner store. "Okay. I don't think so, though."

Magnus lifts his eyebrows. Alec is starting to place that gesture with Magnus's character. He's an eyebrow lifting, counter leaning kind of guy. Suave. Prowling. He makes Alec a bit nervous. People are still staring at Magnus, but less of them. "Oh really?" Magnus asks. "Boyfriend?"

Alec swallows. The breath on his neck is cool from the drink Magnus is downing. "No, I... That's not my thing."

Magnus chuckles. Alec feels it rattle down his spine. "That's sweet. You're really sweet." For a moment Alec feels that strange, unexplainable tingling that comes right before someone touches you softly. He holds his breath, anticipating it. He wonders, _Is he hitting on me_? He wonders, _Is this really happening_? Magnus leans in a little closer, so that those perfect, smirking lips are almost brushing Alec's ear. He murmurs, "I think I'm drunk." And then he adds, "Almost."

And laughs.

Alec lets out a breath. He feels a bit stupid, but also relieved. Magnus hooks his arm around Alec's shoulders and shouts, "ADIOS _MOTHERFUCKAHS_!" People around the bar shout in agreement. Magnus downs the rest of his drink with a grin, staring around. Alec watches his eyes lock on a group of guys arguing amongst themselves, all staring at each other, and then looking over to Magnus. One of the guys gets shoved out of the group, and they all motion that he should approach Magnus. He laughs, but then gets nervous and turns back. Alec looks back at Magnus. He's frowning that defeated frown that usually accompanies a photocopier and a Monday morning.

"Stay here for a second, okay?"

Alec doesn't get a chance to respond. Magnus lurches away from the bar and the group of guys all flip out. Alec doesn't get it. He cranes his neck to get a better look at what's going on. There's a lot of laughing. A camera flashes. Magnus gets a couple of hugs, all caught on camera. A thumb is shot over to Alec and the whole group stares. One of them fans himself. They all chat, and then Magnus floats back to the bar, shrugging.

"What was that all about?" Alec asks.

Magnus waves his hands vaguely. "Oh, you know. Business stuff."

"What kind of business?"

"Let's dance."

Alec can't say no, because Magnus has him by the wrist. He can't dance, but Magnus can, and no one is paying attention to him. The key to it seems to be to laugh and sway. If you're bad at dancing, always acknowledge it. Alec has a major slumping problem and Magnus keeps trying to correct it. He grabs Alec's shoulders and pushes them back. It doesn't look like that, though. It looks like he's trying to hold on to his shirt. He's a taller than Alec, but not by much. Alec can't help but think they look good together. It's a short reach to Magnus's lips.

Alec feels his ass getting squeezed.

For an insane moment he thinks it's Magnus, but his hands are both balled up on Alec's chest. He whips around, startled, and sees a short man wearing plastic fox ears biting his lip behind him. Alec jumps back, slamming into Magnus's chest. If Magnus wasn't drunk, he probably would have caught Alec. Instead he goes down, laughing hysterically. Alec twists to try and stop them both but only succeeds in making the falling go faster. They hit the floor.

Their faces are close. So are more than a dozen pairs of stomping, dancing feet.

Alec's knee hurts like a sonofabitch, but he stops thinking of it when Magnus surges up and kisses him. It only lasts for a second and then Magnus lets his head fall back against the floor. Alec can't stop himself. He leans down and takes Magnus's lips again. The kiss is longer this time. He throws in a little tongue, hoping that he isn't as terrible as his last girlfriend said he was. Then again, Aline was a lesbian and didn't think much of Alec in general. The feeling was mutual. Magnus's eyes go very wide and colour breaks across his nose. He holds Alec's face to his.

Alec feels a tap on his shoulder. It's a bouncer and he looks mad. Alec says, "Sorry, we fell."

The bouncer shakes his head and points towards the doors with his thumb. Alec carries Magnus out. He seems a lot drunker than before. Alec's own mouth tastes like 7-Up and booze just from kissing him. Outside, Magnus is singing/slurring "All The Things She Said" by TaTu, his voice breaking.

"You're this wasted from four drinks?" Alec asks.

Magnus turns to look at Alec like he's stupid. "I pre-drink, roomie."

"Alone?"

"I'm an _alcoholic_!" he shouts to the heavens. People on the sidewalk stare. Most of them think he's funny. Some of them look sad. Magnus puts his finger to his lips and hisses, "Shhh! Don't tell my mom."

"I won't."

"You _can't_. She's _dead_." If he's sad about it, it doesn't show.

Alec wipes his own face with his sleeve. They're almost to the apartment. Magnus gets really quiet. It isn't until they're almost at the door that he speaks again.

"I'm a fuck up," he says solemnly. "You have to live with a fuck up."

Alec fumbles for his keys. Where did he put them? "You're not a fuck up."

"You don't really know me. You'll figure it out." He nods to himself. "Everyone does."

Alec finds his keys finally and unlocks the door. He never noticed how many scratches there were on it before. Magnus tiptoes into the apartment, suddenly in stealth mode. He leaves the light off, and when Alec hits it he's almost to his room. "Need any help?"

Magnus waves him away, only stumbling a bit now. It's the practiced kind of balance, though, that shows just how many times Magnus has had to get himself from Point A to Point B with enough booze to waste an elephant in his system. "I'm fine, I'm fine," he says. Then he's down the hall, out of sight. His door shuts.

Alone, Alec looks at the time on the stove. It's almost two-thirty in the morning. He smiles to himself. As far as nights out go, this is the most successful one he's had. The cops weren't called, no one threatened him, and he kissed his hot roommate - his hot drunk roommate. Would Magnus remember it in the morning? He hopes not. That would make things awkward.

Besides, he doesn't even know Magnus.


End file.
